Mimi was in love with Roger. Roger was in love with Mimi. Mark was still in love with Maureen. Maureen was in love with herself. And Joanne. Joanne was in love with Maureen. Collins was in love with me. And I was in love with Collins. This was going to turn out to be a good New Year. I could wait, but Collins was a little bit less impatient. Just a little bit.
You see, since this is the last DAY, the last NIGHT, last HOUR, of 1992, I figured I should look damn GOOD. Considering, in an hour, it would be the first second of 1993. And I was determined to look damn GOOD. You can't argue with that fact. So, anyway, I was in the bathroom. My hair was up in a net, waiting for it's luscious blonde wig to cover it. I was, what Collins called, poking my eyes out with a black pencil. Um, okay, seriously, I'm not even touching my eye. I'm too perfect to mess up like that. Besides, it doesn't hurt it you poke your eye. I was just putting the finishing touches, and it was like, quarter of eleven, when Collins banged on the door.
"Angel, baby, seriously, I need to go!" He shouted. My GOD was he impatient.
"We'll go when I'm finished sweetie-pie." I told him. "New Years won't not happen if you aren't there on time." I said, and began applying mascara. God I looked cute.
"What!" Collins shouted. "Angel, stop fooling around and get out of there. I need to go."
"Oh whine about it. Why is it always about you?" I asked him, not leaving my position in the mirror. "You ain't going without me baby." I told him. There was a silence of thirty seconds. Thank God too, because it gave me enough time to put on the rest of my eyewear.
"Angel, what the hell are you talking about?" Collins asked me.
"I don't know, what are you talking about?" I mocked him. He was such a pain sometimes.
"Angel, for Christ's sake woman, I need to use the bathroom!" He shouted, and I sighed. I put the make-up away, and walked to the door (Yes door! My baby put it in for me!), unlocked it, and opened it. Collins was almost hunched over, holding himself in between his legs.
"You could have just asked." I said, and he gave me a look. He was thinking of something to say, I could tell. He then just sighed.
"Just let me in." He said, and rushed into the bathroom. I stood outside the bathroom, and stared at the door. It felt weird, you know? I mean, I wasn't even close to being finished. I needed my lipstick, rogue, and my wig for certain, and I think the paint on my index finger could use some work. I could really express how I was feeling. I would never let Mimi do that. Interrupt me while I'm putting myself together? I think NOT. Besides, she knows better. But, I just let him go. I didn't even think. I mean, he could have used the fire escape. I've had to do that a few times while Meems was here, because she can be worse than me. I just let him do what he wanted. Wow, what is happening to me? I heard a flush, and Collins emerged from the bathroom.
"All yours ma'am." He said, and did a bow. I giggled.
"Who am I, you mother or something?" I asked, and he laughed, kissing me, being careful of my cover-up.
"No, that would be very creepy." He said, and I laughed.
"Ew Tom…gross." I said, and walked into the bathroom. "Now, I'll be out soon, just trying to make myself beautiful, and then we'll go." I said.
"Why aren't we going now then?" He asked, and I turned to face him. He had a cute smirk on his face, and I just smiled at him, and squealed. Why was it SO cute of him to call me attractive? It wasn't even the fact that he was complimenting me; it was just the look of satisfaction on his face. I just blushed like a little girl.
"Oh hush your fresh mouth!" I told him, and walked into the bathroom to cover-up my flushed cheeks with more red tints. I didn't end up locking the door that time, just incase. As I was fixing my wig to my head, Collins came in, looking all snazzy. He had these funky yellow sunglasses, and a snazzy black suit. He looked a little like Stevie Wonder. Why did I think that was hot? He looked at himself in the mirror, and smiled. I smiled at his reflection.
"How did I get so lucky?" He wondered aloud. I smirked.
"Your dad must have been HOT. That's how." I said, and laughed. He snorted.
"No, not that baby." He said, and wrapped his arms around me, kissing my cheek. "I mean you." I just stared back at his reflection, and placed my hands on his. "Look at us Angel. Six days of this, and I can already see that we're perfect." He whispered, looking at our reflection. We were something; I'll give him that. I have to tell you, I couldn't believe it. I was just waiting for the time when I was going to close my eyes, open them, and I would be knocked out on the street, and none of this would have happened. This was a dream. It was too good to be true. When everything around me seemed to be caving in, he came. I woke up from my thinking from a sleepy noise he made from his nose. It was cute. I looked up from the mirror and at him.
"I love you baby." I told him.
"I love you too my Angel." He said, and kissed me sweetly. Another cute sound came from him, and he lifted his head. "Well, we should get going honey." He said, and took my hand, walking me out of the bathroom.
"Okay, just let me get my shoes on." I told him, and he laughed as I walked to the bedroom.
"Don't tell me you made shoes out of those shower curtains." He said, and I made a face.
"Honey, ew. That would just be trashy." I told him, as if he was an idiot.
So, I came out with my bright pink 5 inch knee high gogos. And yes, I DID want to look like a Barbie Doll, thank you VERY much. Collins smiled warmly, calling me his Miss Pussy. I could help but crack up.
"After you Mademoiselle Galore." He said happily holding the door open for me.
"Oh, you speak French Mr. Bond?" I asked, and walked out to the hallway. He laughed, and walked out with me, locking the door behind him.
"I do a lot of things French Miss Galore." He said, impersonating Sean O'Connery as he did so. My GOD with this boy, he just couldn't stop cracking me up.
"No offense baby, but you couldn't pass for a Scotsman." I told him, and he pouted.
"Why not?" He asked me.
"Looked in a mirror baby?" I asked him, and he kissed my cheek.
We walked down the stairs of my apartment, down three blocks to the loft, where we were supposed to be meeting our little crew. But this wasn't going to be any old New Years bash, no no no. You see, this evening, when Roger and Mark came home, they found a padlock on their door. Benny had locked them out of their own apartment. So, in our defense, I grabbed a few welding tools, I don't want to talk about it, I found them when I moved in. Don't judge. Anyway, I was going to use them to open up the padlock. Show Benny a thing or two about whom he is messing with. We walked hand in hand, and finally reached their building. The building was dark, the power was out. We saw Mark laughing with Joanne, Maureen was pouting near them. That had been the situation for the past couple of days. Mark and Joanne laughing, Maureen was their joker. It was cute. Mimi and Roger, like they had been, were making out, leaning against the door. Also, very cute. Collins, decided to introduce us to the bunch by clearing his throat. They looked at as, Mimi and Roger unlatching. Mark laughed, camera pointing at us immediately.
"Angel, is that a shower curtain?" He asked, and I just made a face as if it were a compliment.
"Baby you look GOOD." Mimi said, and I giggled.
"I haven't seen you dressed up in a long time Collins." Roger said, and Collins lifted a hand to silence him.
"Please, call me Bond, James Bond." He said, gruffness ever so present in his voice. "And this is,"
"Pussy Galore, in person." I said, and smirked. Mimi laughed, and looked at the torch in my hand.
"Pussy, you came prepared!" She said happily.
"Well, what did you think? I was a boy scout once." I said, and everyone looked at me. What? Was that so weird that I did have a masculine side to me once? "Okay fine." I said, and rolled my eyes. "I was a Brownie, but I don't want to talk about it." I said, and Roger cracked up, taking the torch from me. Me, Collins and Mark walked over to the door with Roger. Roger and Collins set the torch, and stood ready with my heel to kick the sucker down. Mark stood, camera ready.
"And here we have the Boho Boys." Mark started, and I looked at him. He cleared his throat nervously. "And Pussy, I mean Angel-Anyway…" He trailed off. He was about to continue, but the lights in the building turned back on. We all looked at the building in confusion. What just happened? But it didn't matter, because Mimi started counting down the seconds to 1993.
"Ten, nine, eight…" She counted, looking at her watch. Roger and Collins finished up the last of the bolts.
"Five, four, three…" She continued.
"Open Sesame!" I shouted, and kicked the door open. I heard a pop of Joanne's Champagne, and Collins grabbed me. Everyone shouted Happy New Year. The most damned second of cliché in the book. I loved it. We all walked into the building, kissing each other, and wishing each other a happy New Year, but something stopped us. Benny stood there.
"There you are." He said casually. We all just stopped, and stared. I couldn't tell you what I was thinking. I was having a great time. Please don't let them fight. I will hold back all my anger, if they don't fight. I will resist temptation to put some good use to these heals, if we just walked away.
"How did you know we'd be here?" Roger asked, and Benny gave him a look. He looked around the building. You know, the one they LIVED in.
"Call it a hunch." Benny said sarcastically.
"Okay, then, what are you doing here?" Mark asked.
"I'm here to end this whole thing. Even so, there was no need to kick down the door." Benny said, looking at our attempt at a James Bond scene.
"What's with the change in attitude Benny?" Roger asked fiercely.
"The apartment's yours. Mimi brought me a good case yesterday. She had a lot to say." He said, eyeing Mimi. I looked at both of them. Mimi's furrowed her brow, looking PISSED. Benny looked very satisfied, and Roger looked like he was going to, in the very near future, rip someone's face. I took a step back. "Look, I regret the circumstances we've all been put in for the past week so…"
"Circumstances!" Roger shouted. "Benny, you padlocked our door! You kicked us out of our home! How is that circumstance!" He shouted, getting louder at ever word. Oh Jesus, let a small child wander infront of us so this stops. Please. Benny just sighed, and rolled his eyes, wanting to avoid confrontation as much as I did.
"So, on behalf of Cyber Arts Studios, I had you this permanent key, and lease to the apartment." He said, and to lighting the mood, I joined in clapping.
"Oh that's so great!" I said, and realized no one was with me on that. I just hushed myself and looked away.
"The benevolent God ushers the poor artists back to their flat. Were you planning to the barbed wire also?" Maureen asked, in her usual sarcastic way.
"Listen, we had to clear it out for safety measures, but you're all set to go back." Benny said defensively, pointing up the stairs to the loft.
"I'm very sure that's why you're here instead of at Westport on New Years." Maureen said cattily. Which matched her outfit quite well. Did I mention she was wearing a cat suit? No? Okay.
"To tell you the truth, I'd rather be with you guys tonight." Benny told them, and that's when I feel. I just realized, asshole or not, all of these guys, minus Joanne I'm sure, were friends with Benny. Hell, I used to be friends with him. Now, all of us had turned on him. It wasn't fair…he was doing what he thought was right. He didn't look like he wanted to cause us so much trouble.
"Spare us the shit." Roger spat at him. Benny looked at him, hurt and pissed. He looked at Mimi.
"Mimi, since your ways are so seductive, why don't you persuade you're little boy toy to get the stick out of his ass." Benny said, and Roger walked up to him.
"What?" he asked severely.
"Why don't you tell him what you wore at my place Mimi, when we…discussed the subject of your living situation." Benny said. Oh no he did not. Collins and I jumped towards the couple, I was holding Mimi back, and Roger was held back, barely, by Collins, who was eventually helped by Mark, who put his camera down.
"Liar!" Roger shouted.
"I was on my way to work, and that was ALL!" Mimi screamed, ready to kill Benny. Benny simply moved back, and stood on the first step of the staircase.
"By the way Mimi, I'm still a bit sore." Benny said, and smirked.
"From where I kicked your ass!" Mimi shouted. She tried to lunge again, but I got her.
"Well, does your boyfriend realize who I am?" Benny shouted back at her.
"I am NOT her boyfriend, and I don't a shit about what she does, or what she did!" Roger shouted, and I let go of Mimi. Now I was pissed.
"HEY!" I screamed. Everyone looked at me, a bit stressed. "Look at all of you! I came to this little shindig to celebrate New Year's with my friends, and get them back their living space, and have fun. This is no way to start a New Year, fighting with someone who is probably still sore over losing his cat." I said, and everyone looked down. Thank God, they shut up, and hey, a plus, I was the center of attention again.
"It was my dog Angel but thanks, I appreciate it." Benny said softly. I walked over to him, and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"My kitten had a fall once too honey. I went through hell over it. I know exactly how you feel." I told him, and he nodded, sighing.
"Yeah it's like losing a part of the, wait," He said, and looked up at me. "How did you know she fell?" He asked, and Collins jumped in.
"Champagne Benny?" He asked quickly, and I slunk back into the crowd, and Mark gave me a look. I smacked his hand.
"Shh." I told him, and he smirked. Mimi grabbed my hand, and Joanne and Collins poured champagne for us, Maureen handing out little plastic glasses.
"Let's make a resolution!" I said, and raised my glass.
"Let's always stay friends!" Collins said, holding me, lifting his glass with mine.
"Do we have a choice?" Mark asked, and we laughed.
"We just keep coming back to each other, so I guess not." Joanne said, and smiled.
"This family tree's got deep roots." Maureen said, and I smiled, and kissed her cheek. She laughed, and hugged me. The only one who didn't seem to be getting in on this was Roger. Who should be making out with my Mimi. I walked over to him.
"Don't make that face. It's going to be a happy New Year, and you know it." I told him.
"I guess." He grunted, and I pushed him towards Mimi, and She looked at him, and he looked down at her, and smiled. "You're right." He said, and I walked off to find Collins, who was drinking right from the bottle. Oh great. I kissed his cheek.
"Baby, not so fast." I told him, and laughed, he just smiled, and giggled. I rolled my eyes. He was such a dufus. He leaned down to kiss me, and I wrapped my arms around his neck.
"Happy New Year baby." He whispered softly, and I smiled happily, and kissed him.
This was going to be the best year of my life. I could tell.
